Chandigarh, July 11:
In a significant step towards administrative reform and strengthening the horticulture sector of the state, the Punjab Government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has issued a Gazette notification amending the Punjab Horticulture (Group A) Service Rules, 2015. The reform has been spearheaded by Horticulture Minister Shri Mohinder Bhagat, who has been consistently advocating for better service conditions for officers working in the horticulture sector.
Lauding the notification, Horticulture Minister Mohinder Bhagat said, “This amendment is a major reform aimed at uplifting our dedicated officers. I am grateful to Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann for his support in implementing this step. It will ensure better motivation, fairness, and service delivery in the horticulture sector.”
He informed that as per Notification No. G.S.R.106/Const/Art.309/Amd.(3)/2025 dated July 2, 2025, and published in the Punjab Government Gazette (Extra) on July 4, 2025, the rules have been amended to rationalize the pay scales of Horticulture Development Officers and Sericulture Officers. This long-awaited structural reform will bring uniformity and clarity in service matters, especially with regard to the applicability of pay levels under the 7th Central Pay Commission.
The amendment covers multiple specializations within the horticulture cadre including Protected Cultivation, Biotechnology, Beekeeping, Marketing Intelligence and information, Aeroponics, Nursery Production, Citrus Production and Training, Post-Harvest Management, Mushroom, Entomology, Pathology, Soil, and Sericulture. These changes will bring parity among officers recruited on or after July 17, 2020.
He further added that Punjab is rapidly moving towards crop diversification and value addition through horticulture. “A strong cadre is essential to support farmers and bring innovation into the system,” Bhagat emphasized.
The notification issued by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare (Agriculture-4 Branch) also lays down guidelines for promotions and pay scale applicability, ensuring long-term clarity and transparency in service conditions.
